WWE Royal Rumble 2014: Superstars with the Most to Lose at the Event

Heading into the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, several WWE Superstars have a great deal to lose. In fact, the show will be must-see TV simply because of how it affects the stock of many major names in the company.

Randy Orton is the first wrestler who springs to mind. As Stephanie McMahon announced on Monday's Raw, “The Viper” is due to defend his newly won WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the event against John Cena in a no-time-limit bout that can only end via pinfall or submission.

from WWE.com

OK, so this is hardly a blockbuster main event that will do major business. Orton and Cena have fought each other too many times to count. But the match will be a big test for Orton.

The third-generation star struggled to assert his dominance as a heel in 2013. Not only has he been stuck playing second fiddle to Triple H, but he's also been hindered by some truly perplexing character development.

Is he on good terms with The Authority? Did he really mean to bump into Stephanie on the December 9 Raw, or was it an accident?

Partly thanks to these factors, most of Orton's pay-per-view main events last year did terrible numbers. The Survivor Series buyrate, in particular, was awful.

from WWE.com

Orton's not shaking up the business as a heel. If anything, he's a detriment to WWE.

So it will be interesting to see if Vince McMahon makes the call to switch the WWE world heavyweight belt to Cena at the Rumble. If a change is made, it will surely be a sign that all those mediocre ratings and low buyrates have finally gotten to McMahon and that he realizes Orton's not taking off as champion.

His opponent is facing great expectations too.

After rushing back from his torn triceps surgery in October, Cena appears to be missing a step as a performer. He seems far more cautious in the ring and more lethargic. Can he turn things around at Royal Rumble? Or are the days of the star turning out great matches a thing of the past?

from WWE.com

There's a lot of pressure on returning star Dave Batista too. “The Animal” will make his heavily hyped return to the company on January 20. All eyes will be on him to see how he performs. At 45, is he still capable of delivering quality main event matches? Or have age, injuries and ring rust taken a toll?

Is he in WWE to work hard, or does he just see the gig as an easy paycheck between filming Hollywood acting roles?

A strong performance in the Rumble, which he will presumably be in, is also extremely important. A poor performance there—or even an average one—will not bode well for his WWE future.  

Shield member Roman Reigns also needs a good showing and a big reaction from fans in Pittsburgh if he is to justify his recent strong booking. He may very well be WWE’s next big babyface, or he may be the next big flop. Either way, we should get some indication at the show.

Aside from its obvious attractions, the Royal Rumble pay-per-view will be fascinating to watch just to see how the aforementioned names react to the limelight. Will these men thrive or flounder at the event?

We’ll have to wait and see, but all eyes are certainly on them.